Ice fishing traps, also known as fishing tip-ups are well known in the art. They are used for fishing through a hole in ice layer covering a body of water such as a river or a lake. The common trap comprises a vertical mast and at least one horizontal crossbeam. The horizontal beam is laid across the hole in the ice, and acts as a base to support the trap. The lower portion of the vertical mast is equipped with a reel having a length of fishing line terminating with a fish hook. A trigger mechanism is provided, which is commonly activated by the reel in response to a fish taking the bait on the hook, becoming hooked, and attempting to escape. The trigger is configured to release a flag, or to activate an indicator, so as to provide a visual and/or aural indication to a trap that has caught a fish.
Popular traps in use today utilize a flat steel indicator spring slidingly coupled to the back of the mast, so it can be stored parallel thereto when the trap is not in use. The indicator spring carries a flag or other visual indication, and is constructed engage a trigger hook when the trap is armed. The spring may be engaged directly such as by a hole disposed therein, or indirectly by a hook engaging ring. The trigger mechanism comprises a trigger rod rotatably coupled to the beam. The trigger rod has an elbow at its lower end disposed so as to be acted upon by a tab or protrusion on the reel. The action on the elbow causes rotation of the trigger rod about its longitudinal axis. The trigger hook is coupled to the upper end of trigger rod. In operation, the upper end of the indicator spring is either directly or indirectly engaged in the trigger hook. Several methods are known to couple the spring to the trigger hook. So that the indicator spring will be released responsive to the turning of the trigger rod, which is caused in turn by the rotation of the tab on the reel.
While common, this arrangement suffers from the disadvantage of over sensitivity, as several factors may cause a false indication. The most common of those factors is wind induced motion and/or vibration, which operates to release the spring, causing a false indication of a caught fish.
Present traps exist where a plurality of cross beams are used to stabilize the trap over the ice hole. Another arrangement is to use a relatively wide cross beam. These arrangements suffer from the disadvantages of obstructing view within the hole, and poor stability, as well as interfering with access to the ice hole, needed to break newly formed ice.
There is therefore a clear and heretofore unanswered need in the art of ice fishing, for a fish trap that will be easy to set stably over an ice hole, while causing minimum obstruction to access to the ice hole. Moreover, an even greater heretofore unanswered need exist for a fish trap that will provide reliable indication of a caught fish while avoiding false indications. The present invention aims to solve those needs.